analytics-dictionary / term / transformation & metrics

Staging layer

The staging layer holds lightly cleaned copies of source tables, one per source table, as the base for all other models.

Written by Reflective Data experts · updated Oct 5, 2026

Staging models rename columns, cast types and fix obvious issues, but do not join or aggregate. Keeping this layer thin and consistent makes every later model simpler.

In dbt projects it is the first layer after raw data.

Data mart Data modeling dbt

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dbt macro

A dbt macro is a reusable piece of SQL logic written with Jinja templating.

dimension.md

Dimension

A dimension is an attribute used to slice or group metrics, such as country, device or…

semantic-layer.md

Semantic layer

A semantic layer defines your business metrics and dimensions once, so every tool and person gets…

metric-tree.md

Metric tree

A metric tree breaks a top-level metric down into the input metrics that drive it.

dbt-snapshot.md

dbt snapshot

A dbt snapshot records changes to a mutable table over time, producing a history of each…

analytics-engineering.md

Analytics engineering

Analytics engineering is applying software engineering practices to analytics: version control, testing, documentation and modular code.

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